Lee Mac. Crochet artist. Crochet portraits = Obsession. I am surgically attached to my Ipod and crochet hook. Bookworm. Pop culture addict. M&ms are as important as oxygen. Einstein hit the nail on the head with "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere."

Far out... what a mixed way to end a strange year....
I had a wonderful, relaxed and happy Chrissy Eve, Day and Boxing day, with food and family but coming to terms with the loss of George Michael and now Carrie Fisher, along with so many other wonderful people My word it has been a topsy turvy few days for the emotions
I'm not a hardcore Star Wars fan. I've only seen the original 3 films twice. However, Carrie Fisher was and will continue to be a true inspiration
I have always admired her honest, blunt and unfiltered take on the world and especially on mental illness. She was a pioneering princess in more ways than one, but her strength, bravery and tenacity were qualities we should all strive to uphold So, naturally, I have turned to my yarn stash and proceeded to find JUST the right yarns to pay tribute to Carrie and the wonderful, kick-ass woman she was !

Once completed, this pattern will be made available for free in the pattern archive There is so much I could say, but really...i'm feeling quite empty and deflated. She was taken too damn soon RIP CARRIE

Lee xox

Saturday 24th December, 2016

T'was the night before christmas

Lee xox

Thursday 22nd December, 2016

GIZMO!!!

Well, well, well, look who has made an appearance JUST before Christmas!!!
The wonderfully talented SARAH has throw caution to the wind and has brought a gremlin into her life right before Chrissy !!! Loving your style Sarah !!
You've done a BRILLIANT job!!!! Sarah will be turning this piece into a pillow/cushion for her hubby who LOVES it!!! You're giving me the warm fuzzies guys!! Such great news!! A thousand thank you's once again to the lovely Valerie for the pattern and allowing it to be hosted here for others like Sarah to whip it up into a wonderful work of art !!! If you would like to bring a cute and cuddly lil' Gizmo into your life, check out the FREE PATTERN in the archive and get hooking !!BUT JUST REMEMBER FOR CHRISTMAS' SAKE!! READ THE DIRECTIONS PEOPLE!!! NEVER expose him to BRIGHT LIGHT NEVER expose him to WATER, and NEVER feed him AFTER MIDNIGHT !!!! Otherwise, your precious crocheted little snugglebug could go from cute and cuddly...

TO A CRAZY CHRISTMAS CRACKER OF A NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lee xox

Wednesday 21st December, 2016

Hooked from a Book #2!

Lee xox

Tuesday 20th December, 2016

"Starry Starry Night..."

My interpretation of 'The Starry Night' by Vincent Van Gogh!Started: 7th November, 2016Completed: 18th December, 2016No. of Stitches: 27,117NOTES:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Say G'Day to my second 'Hooked from a Book' piece!!
Sadly my editing software... YUP! YOU GUESSED IT!!... it karked it again ...
So i'm having trouble uploading the video reveal and to be honest, I have been BUSTING to show you guys what i've been working on for the last 6 weeks that I just HAD to post !!!!
This palette, has been, an absolute DREAM to work with !!!
Not only were the yarns super easy to use, but the colours, ugh, THE COLOURS were so pleasing to the soul !
There is something so soothing and comforting and cleansing about the colour purple isn't there?! No idea what it is, but everything is better with purple.... it's kinda the bacon of the colour world isn't it !
I was inspired to challenge myself with this piece after picking up the book 'Van Gogh: The Life' by Steven Naifeh & Gregory White Smith earlier last month. It is an absolute MONSTER of a book, coming in at close to 1000 pages so I still have a heck of a lot of reading to do, but i'm so happy I decided to have a go at one of the most famous and beloved works of art known to man !
I can't wait for the exhibition that is coming to Melbourne in May!! Tickets are bought! Excitement is off the charts !! There is ALSO the first ever fully painted/animated feature film 'Loving Vincent' on the way in 2017!!! VAN GOGH FOR THE WIN IN 2017 BABY!!!!

Lee xox

Tuesday 13th December, 2016

Christmas has come early!

CHRISTMAS HAS COME EARLY PEOPLE!!!!
Or, in the very least, we have received an early gift from the RIDICULOUSLY TALENTED VALERIE in the shape of her COMPLETED 2016 CAL PIECE!!!!!!!!!!!

For those who are new to the page, Valerie's piece features the ASTRONOMICAL structure in Brussels, known as the 'Atomium' !!
Quite possibly the COOLEST building in the world !!!
I can't quite recall how many colours this piece consists of, but I know Valerie and I had a few back and forths about it, as we really wanted those clouds and the reflective surfaces of the 'atoms' to be the stars of the show and can I just say.... Valerie, you totallee nailed these colour choices my friend !!!! I'm seriously having a hard time deciding which elements are my favourites!!! The reflections are clearly fantastic, the clouds have tremendous depth and also manage to have a gorgeous fluffy type quality to them...
But then there are the vivd greens of those leaves !!!! STUNNING!!!CONGRATULATIONS ON A BRILLIANT CAL PIECE VALERIE!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!! Thank you so much for taking part and sharing your talent with the world!!!!

2 TOTALLEE CAL UPDATES!! FROM 2 AMAZING LADIES!!
The wonderful JOYCE has hit 60%! on her Larry piece which is A MONSTER and is just so so STUNNING!!!
And the wonderful RAE has just said hello to 65%! on her Bladerunner tribute piece
Which is looking BLOODY BRILLIANT with the in-built venetian blinds effect that it has going on !!! Quality hooking skills ladies!!! Now it's time for me to take a little 'crocheting-related-walk-of-shame'.... Mr. Time has crept up on me a little bit and has decided that it is time to say hello to the month of December...I'M NOT BLOOMING READY TO SAY HELLO TO DECEMBER YET!!!!! I've only just hit the halfway point on November's 'Hooked from a Book' piece!! I MAY have been a little over-ambitious when selecting this piece as far as the 30 day timeframe goes...
Well, clearly I was REALLY over-ambitious So I forsee two possible solutions!A) I do a combined November/December 'Hooked from a Book', which means the piece stays under wraps till the end of December aka. till I get it done, or...B) I upload a 'currently hooking from a book' video, in which I show you the piece at its 50% point, whilst wrapping up what I read in November. Of course the catch with option B is that yes the surprise will be revealed to those who watch the video and therefore MAY get revealed on places like FB and the ravelry group...
Side note - apologies if you're reading this for the second time after already seeing my post on I'm honestly easy either way because...I already know what it is
Feel free to let me know on the tagboard and thank you to those who have already weighed in with their opinion on Facebook ! Now it's time for me to bring out the Christmas crap!!!
If I can remember where the frig I stored it !

G'Day and welcome to my lil gallery
Feel free to browse away to your eyes content, leave me a comment on the tag-board or just soak up some crocheted portraiture! I also really need to take 2 seconds here to extend the biggest of "THANK YOU!!!"'s to Lokesh Dhakar whose 'Lightbox2' script is the sickest thing since sliced bread I would seriously be stuffed without the aid of this coding brilliance, so MASSIVE KUDOS to you Mr. Dhakar You're a star man!! Lee xox

'The Closed Door And Other Stories By Dorothy Whipple'Persephone Books, Reprinted 2010 After really enjoying 'The Priory' by Dorothy Whipple, I decided to have a crack at a collection of her short stories
and i'm pleased to report that i'm happy I did
This collection held 10 stories ranging in length from 10-60 pages. Each story, in my opinion, was
told with exactly the right amount of depth in both plot and character development and whilst 'The Priory'
did suffer with a little lagging in both areas, I can certainly applaud Whipple's judgement when it comes
to the editing and presentation of her writing in the short story format.
Actually between you and I, I prefer her short stories. I could have just said that and saved your eyeballs
from the above waffling but cest la vie' !
I went into this collection expecting a bit of cross-over. For instance I assumed her stories would be set around
that 1930s time period and yes they were. I also thought that they may lean on the Master/Mistress and servants
trope and yup! They certainly did. However, this wasn't a bad thing! Whilst there were certainly storylines/characters
names and even specific plot twists taken directly from her novel 'The Priory' (or she took them from
the novel and then built a short story around them? I'm not sure on the timing of the writing of these stories
and The Priory), the overlap brought a nice sense of familiarity across from the previous read.
It's clear to see that Whipple's focus on characters such as the 'sheltered girl', the 'disgraced mistress',
and the 'secretive/adultering husband' lead to the recurrent themes of a man/woman/servant/child's
place within the home, complex relationships and taking one's first steps into the big bad world.
I really did take something away from each of the ten stories, however, as always when it comes to short story collections, there were one or two that
stood out. 'The Closed Door', is a story that spans 75 pages and the life of Stella Hart. We are afforded glimpses into her
life from the age of six, right through to adulthood. We are also exposed to the appauling treatment she suffers as the
only child of her vile and disinterested parents. This was such a heartbreaking tale of loneliness, with the tiniest glimpses of hope. I know it will remain with me.
I also really enjoyed 'The Handbag'. This was one of those storylines that appeared in 'The Priory' but had been reworked very successfully into short story format. Whipple has
a wonderful way of subtley showing the inner thoughts and outward actions of 'the wife'. Whilst this character often starts out as a dutiful, docile housewife, Whipple has a wonderful way of making her 'wifey' characters accept facts, grow, adapt and ultimately cross the finish line on top, with their point aka. their revenge against their husband/husband's floozy being made perfectly. 'The Handbag' is a brilliant example of what i'm trying to convey ! I highly recommend checking it out if you can, as I think it highlights Whipple's writing to a tea! Lee xox

Monday 26th September, 2016

Book #33 & #34

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From A Little Golden Book by Diane MuldrowGolden Books, 2013
This was a complete nostalgia trip for me A pleasant flip through some of the most heart-warming gorgeously drawn illustrations that took me right back to being a little girl and rummaging my way through my collection of Little Golden Books to try and settle on one for my Dad to read to me
Although this is titled to appeal to adults as a cutesy fun way to look at life's many lessons through the teachings offered by the many stories told under the Golden Books banner, it really isn't. It's really just a collection of one-liners taken from 20-30 Golden Books with their accompanying illustrations. No life lessons to be learnt here. Just a wonderful hour of flipping through and appreciating the wonderful talented artists sourced by this wonderful line of books.

*sigh* man these illustrations hit me right in the childhood. Just gorgeous. Especially the books illustrated by Richard Scarry. Perfection

'The Priory' by Dorothy WhipplePersephone Books, 2003 (first published 1939) This was my first tipple into reading some 'Whipple' and apart from suffering from a strange obssession and affection for her surname, I have been left a bit perplexed but in a good way !
In the simplest terms, 'The Priory' is a book about a house and the people within it. At the start of the novel, everything is centered around Major Marwood, his eccentric, artistic sister Victoria, his two girls, Penelope and Christine and his new wife Anthea. It also shines light on the lives of the servants, their interactions, situations and little dramas. At first the story seemed to be quite day-to-day, no real drama, no real direction...a little bit dull but I was puzzled because everytime I put the book down, I found myself longing to get back and find out more and more about this seemingy unassuming cast of characters.
Upon reflection, the best way to sum up the writing, story and feel of this book is to say that it was very subtle, very unassuming, but within its simple sentences, simple descriptions, simple day-to-day focus lies quite a complex and intriguing representation of human nature, relationships and an importrant look at the importance of roots, the sense of 'home' and of second chances. This book certainly isn't for everyone. The 'events' within it don't cause splashes, just little ripples. Again I have to return to the word 'subtle' because the thoughts and actions of these characters are just that. However I have found that in the end this book packed quite the punch. I think the brilliance of Dorothy Whipple's writing lies in its subtlety and its ability to give you pause for thought. I saw so many facets of myself within quite a few of these characters and therefore had moments that hit quite close to home. So although the 500+ pages will not be to everyone's taste, if you appreciate fine writing, a historical backdrop of a crumbling priory in country England with a cast of interesting 1930's characters than I would give it a go

Lee xox

Sunday 25th September, 2016

Reading Positions

NEW BOOKISH ANIMATION TIME!
As any fellow readers will know....when it comes to trying to find a comfortable reading position.....the struggle....is real
I'm properly excited for my next animation!! Some WONDERFUL booktubers from around the world have voiced lines for it!!! The other amazing part, is that it will be a Harry Potter themed vid! So so so keen to get started!

I'm also keen to try and knock over 'The Priory' by Dorothy Whipple this afternoon. It's getting quite juicy now that i'm a tick over the 300 page mark and I must say I am looking forward to seeing how quite a few little scenarios unfold
Then of course I have a couple of BIG CATS to get my hook stuck back into !! You gotta love creative and indulgent weekends!!!

Lee xox

Tuesday 20th September, 2016

September Stack!

Don't cha just love it when a whole STACK of books you requested weeks ago (that you completely forgot about) all come in for you at once !
I am cheating a little bit - I have had that top book 'The Priory' by Dorothy Whipple a little while. About 100 pages in so far and really enjoying it. Short straight-to-the-point-proper-no-fooling sentences, light on the plot so far, but something is brewing and completely character focussed and driven The rest of the stack ='The Closed Door And Other Stories' by Dorothy Whipple. I'm really enjoying 'The Priory' so far, so figured i'd request this collection of her short stories to prolong the party 'Brideshead Revisited' by Evelyn Waugh. This one I requested as it is one of my favourite booktuber's fave books! Lesley of WORDS OF A READER is a FABULOUS book reviewer. She reads a wonderful, wide array of genres, authors, etc. and her passion for reading is truly infectious. If you are a keen reader or you're thinking of upping your reading but are not really sure where to start - head on over to Lesley and click on ANY of her videos, becuase I GUARANTEE you'll hear her speak about a book that will tickle your fancy!'The October Country' by Ray Bradbury. These next two titles are also courtesy of a Lesley review She actually read 'Fahrenheit 451' and her review sounded so intriguing that I went to reserve it straight away, however it appears to be quite popular because i'm still 5 or 6 people away from getting my grabbers on it! So I queued up these two titles while I was at it. Really looking forward to diving in 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury'Van Gogh' by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith. Probably don't need to say too much about this one after my post a couple of days ago I thought i'd brush up (swear to god that wasn't an intentional pun)(but i'm loving it) on Van Gogh's background and after checking out biographies on Goodreads.com I saw that this one was one of the best I actually started reading it ON THE WAY back to the car after checking out it Nearly got skittled in the car park, so...so far so good!
I know that I will be renewing these a couple of times in order to make my way through them but i'm pretty pumped to get going ! Please feel free to let me know of any books you've enjoyed recently! I'm always up for adding books to my library queue! Even if they do all come in at once... I suppose picking them up counts towards an upper body work out?!? UGH, wish there was a better way...

Lee xox

Wednesday 24th August, 2016

Liberty Style

'Liberty Style' by Martin WoodFrances Lincoln Limited, 2014 Book #32 of 2016 went from being a fab fantasy (which I am still yet to restart!) to a non-fiction title showcasing the history of one of Britain's most successful and influential players in bringing fashion, craftsmanship, design and taste to the world's stage. Yeah! I bet you didn't see that coming! I certainly didn't !
Truth is, I requested this book aaaages ago at the library because I was on the hunt for some inspiration concerning a background for a possible portrait I have in mind. I was picturing an art nouveau inspired pattern and hence, did a search for 'art nouveau wallpaper patterns' in the library dadtbase and voila ! This book popped up.
So when I went to pick it up, it turned out to be MASSIVE and BRIMMING with glossy full page illustrations cheering! Just what I wanted!HOWEVER it proved to be so much more than pretty pictures!! Now I will be the first one to admit that I know very little when it comes to the great 'eras' in British arcitecture, fashion, style, etc...
I mean it's a good day if I get 'Georgian', 'Victorian' and 'Edwardian' in the right order
So it would be fair to say that I went into this one completely blind, but my goodness... The story behind founder, Mr. Arthur Liberty, his store the 'East India House' and it's EXPANSION is one heck of an inspiring tale! Opened for business in May, 1875 on London's prestigious Regent Street, this shop transformed the lives of thousands! I could literally harp on for pages about the vision and entrepreneurial spirit or Arthur Liberty, but suffice it to say, his passion for retail, customer EXPERIENCE and service and the love he had for discovering new designers, fabrics, art, the list goes on is just so heartwarming. I know I sound daft, but I started out in retail and over the last 15 years, by god has the QUALITY in every aspect of the shpping experience deteriorated! From the service, the presentation of goods, the quality of the goods, the attitude of staff and management...(get off your box Lee), so to read about a time and place that took great pride in the choosing of it's goods, it's staff, it's style, it's craftsmanship...it was simply lovely to read about Quick summary - On the back on the industrailisation of Britain, Liberty embraced advancements in technology whilst still committed to the ideals of the Arts & Crafts movement by seeking out new, exciting designers and craftsmen to design goods for the aspiring middle classes. Those who once couldn't afford high-end designer pieces, the likes offered by William Morris, could now own locally produced and internationally sourced fashionable ware without having to sell a kidney or two. After the second reform bill passed in 1867, the balance within British society was shifting from the aristocracy and gentry, over to the middle classes. Liberty saw the writing on the wall, saw that these folks were now able to buy their own homes and therefore would have the means to furnish them! This book did what I LOVE all non-fction books to do and that is it made me HUNGRY to find out so much more about this time period, the designers of the day, the associated art movements, etc..
It well and truly wet my appetite to know more and I really love when that happens
Honest to goodness Liberty had a hand in EVERYTHING!!! Fine silks, soft furnishings, glassware, metalwork, wallpapper, fashio, textiles, ceramics, interior design, the list goes on and on and on and so does the list of their clientel! International Royalty, Russian Czars, to creating dresses specially designed for Joanna Lumley in the sixties And here was me just expecting a quick flip through to grab a pattern or two!!
So as you can probably tell, this book surprised me and I learnt a HUGE amount!!
I guess the moral here is to pick up a book once in a while that you know NOTHING about! It may surprise you and open your mind Arthur Liberty, I salute you and the countless others who brought style, art, design and true craftsmanship to the masses!

Lee xox

Wednesday 17th August, 2016

Escape with Kvothe

This afternoon was made for reading. The weather outside is pure YUCK so tis time to curl up with a stack of pages
I thought I was all set because I had this one lined up from the library...

Sounds AMAZING right?!?
Yeah I thought so too, until I read the introduction and a bit of the first section... First of all, what I have been really looking for is a good Jimmy Stewart biography, but sadly my library doesn't have one. However, upon a search of their database, this title came up and I thought "Great! A whole stack of Golden Guys to read about!" aka. I was mucho excited Fast forward to 5 mins ago when I completed the intro and let me just say....

If you want an indepth discussion on the ins and outs (pun intended) on who was doing who and a running commentary from a wide array of sources regarding dick sizes in Hollywood, than this is the book for you! Sadly, i'm a tad boring and was ACTUALLY looking for this book to give me an indepth look at the actors ENTIRE lives, rather than just a diary of their dick's escapades...
( I must admit, I did raise an eyebrow at a supposed Carole Lombard quote regarding Mr. Gable though... "If his cock was an inch shorter, he'd have been the Queen of Hollywood".... If that's true, I raise a glass to you Carole, because that's hilarious )
So as you can probably guess, this one went straight back to the library... I have now decided to return to a fantasy novel I started earlier this year but for some reason got distracted from...

Note to self... buy a bookmark. A tissue Lee?!?! Really
I remember really enjoying this one, so I have no idea why it was sent to the backburner...
I'll be on it for a while! It's a monster at 662 pages, but i'm all set for a nice fantasy

Lee xox

Thursday 11th August, 2016

1 DNF, 1 OMG

I think my library must have had a bright red ring around the 1st of August because a whole STACK of books that I have been in queues for for flipping AGES, all came in at once !
Which means that they are all due back at the same time...
Planned that well didn't I?! "On The Other Side" - Carrie Hope Fletcher
The first book I picked up was Carrie's debut fictional book and sadly... I DNF'd it after 120 pages Carrie is (among a whole STACK of things) a youtuber whom I have been watching for years now. I was a HUGE fan of the band McFly back in the day and Carrie is the lil sister of Tom and that is how I stumbled across her channel. She is an absolute sweetheart, her zest for life is infectious and it has been wonderful to see her star rising and rising over the years So I was dead keen to pick up her first attempt at a fictional novel.
First and foremost Carrie is a singer/actress and has been in stage productions all her life, and as I started reading 'On The Other Side' I could see that love of storytelling shining through. Allow me to give you a quick run down. At the start of the book we meet Evie as an 82yr old who has just died. She finds herself in front of the door to her own personal heaven but the door won't open. She learns that in order to pass through, your soul must be light enough (empty of secrets and unfinished business) to be allowed through. Upon reflection, Evie understands that she has 3 secrets weighing her down that she needs to right before she will be able to pass over to the other side. Great premise eh?!
However, 2 things came to my mind very quickly...1) I'm a fossil. And..2) I've got a sweet tooth but holy heck...
In regards to #1, I believe this book would be DEVOURED and is best suited to girls of maybe 14-17?! Although the main character of Evie Snow is (for the most part, of the part I read) said to be 27 years old, it reads as though she is about 15. Experiencing dating for the first time, her first job, her first, well, everything. Along with constantly battling her overbearing mother, it certainly transported me back to the mind of my teenage self. Sadly, I am FAR removed from those years and just couldn't reignite the 'ouuuu-they're-gonna-kiss' tingles. As I said, i'm a dried up, cranky old fossil
In regards to #2, boy oh boy was this sugary! I'm talking cavity-causing sweet. Which was okay to a point because after watching Carrie over the years, a massive part of her charm is her lovely warmth and sweet bubbly self, so I could forgive the appaulingly quaint character names like 'Evie Snow', 'Vincent Winters' & 'Jim Summer', however, I could feel my face scrunching itself into a damn good pug impression the further on I read. Eventually I decided to give up on it. Especially once I found myself making a mental list for the cleaning supplies I had to pick up at the shops the next day. If that ain't a sign that you're not into a book, I don't know what is
So whilst I wasn't grabbed by her as an author, please do check out her Youtube Channel as I think she is an absolute spark of gorgeousness!

"In Order To Live - A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom' - Park Yeon-mi (Yeonmi Park)" Read it. Go to the book store, the library, your digital bookstore of choice... Read it.
I started this book 2 days ago and last night I put the world on hold whilst I read to the end. I then preceeded to have a good cry and stay awake until 2am in complete awe at the strength, determination and un-breakable spirit of this MAGNIFICENT SURVIVOR and her story. Like most folks, I have heard stories of the oppression, starvation and utter hell that is placed on those poor souls who lived and are STILL living under the suffocating rule of the Kims, but my goodness...
Nothing prepares you for learning of the true horrors that such a regime puts its people through until you read a true, no holds barred account from a person who has lived through it.
The Quote from Yeon-mi on the blurb of her book sums up her story and her attitude perfectly.

"I am most grateful for two things: that I was born in North Korea, and that I escaped from North Korea."

The lengths that Yeonim and her family went to ensure their survival... I just... I am still left shaking my head in complete awe.
Yeonmi's voice is powerful, unrelenting, raw and one of the most compassionate I have ever read and along with Malala's story, hers will stay with me forever Please pick it up guys. You will be left extremely humbled and so incredibly grateful for the life you have and for the life you don't have to live.

Lee xox

Wednesday 3rd August, 2016

July Reading Wrap-Up!!!

JULY was a WONDERFUL reading month!
I read 5 books, one of which shot itself straight onto my faves shelf !The Last Battle (#7 The Narnia Chronicles) - C.S. Lewis
The first book I read in July was the final book in the epic classic children's series, The Chronicles of Narnia. The lovely Di (aka. Disis19Hearts) and I decided to buddy read all 7 books, starting in January and ending with the 7th book in the 7th month! I can tell you that it was a fabulous way to read them and wonderful to share the journey with another person who missed the boat on such an iconic series!
The books have been very hit and miss for me in this series and I still have a few quarms regarding this final installment. On opening this one I was a little shocked that an entirely new set of characters and side story was introduced. In the beginning we meet Shift, an ape, and Puzzle, a donkey, who are impersonating Aslan in order to manipulate the creatures of Narnia to benefit themselves. Eventually, the dreaded Calormenes (whom we meet in earlier books) become involved and initially it is up to Jill and Eustace to save Narnia. Again.
This little adventure does take up a huge chunk of the book and as I was reading I kept wondering how Lewis was going to tie so many loose ends from previous books up, as this was the final installment. However as the final chapter approached, everything became clear and that last page...THAT. LAST. PAGE. GUYS!!
I wasn't prepared for the emotional 'THWACK' that I received! Now I will readily admit that I can be as thick as a stick at the best of times. Naive - guilty! Ignorant - guilty! Blissfully dumb - guilty! But I did not see the ending coming. Naturally Di did because she's a star, but nope I had no clue and boy oh boy was it satisfying.
I don't want to spoil anyone, but it did tie up a lot of unanswered Q's for me and it also allowed me to reflect on the series as a whole, see it in light of this ending and re-evaluate some thoughts and feelings.
I can definitely understand why it is such a special series to so many millions of people. I am a little sad that I didn't read the books as a kid, however, there is plenty to be gained by reading these books as an adult.

Smoke - Dan Vyleta
This was a book that I was so pumped for! I first heard about it from the lovely Jen Campbell when she described it in a book haul. Set in an 'alternate' early 20th century London, those who have sinned or are thinking sinful thoughts are physically marked by the 'smoke' (soot and/or ash), thereby tarnishing them publicly. The aristocracy has learnt how to conceal their 'smoke' and therefore their misdeeds and i'm guessing the story evolves to let you, the reader, in on that secret.
Trouble is, I got to page 75 of this one and BOOM! I DNF'd! (Did Not Finish)
So poorly written!! Such bad flow, and by that I mean, no flow at all. There were passages that made absolutely no sense, appeared jumbled and disjointed and it felt like the author was struggling with 5 different things he wanted to get out! Problem was, he was trying to shove it all onto the page at once! He also shifted between different narrators very poorly and ugh... such a dissapointment as the premise was so intriguing!!

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar WildeSAY HELLO TO MY NEW FAVOURITE BOOK!!!!
SHEER PERFECTION!!!!!!!!!
By the end of the second page I remember thinking "Okay Wilde, you've got me." The tractor beam is set, i'm locked in. By the end of the second chapter.. game, set, match!! This year, I have gotten myself into the habit of jotting down notes whilst reading. A quote that has tickled my fancy here or there. Perhaps an idea expressed that I want to be able to reflect upon at a later date...
I pretty much ended up RE-WRITING THE ENTIRE BOOK INTO MY JOURNAL!
Fabulously witty dialogue, deeply rich and rounded characters, a gothic ambience that had me taking the freaking thing into the toilet with me on several occasions as I couldn't stop turning the pages!!!
Lord Henry Wotton, is now my favourite literary character of all time. Unbelievably witty, charasmatic, defiant, worldy, smug, blatant, cynical and so hilarious!
I could honestly go on for DAYS about my thoughts and feelings on this book, but ain't nobody got time for that! Do yourself a MASSIVE favour and read or re-read this FABULOUS book. Such a shame that it is Oscar Wilde's only novel because my goodness...it is perfection.

Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
Allow me to relay the notes I wrote as I began this beloved classic....
Chapter 1. "Oh Christ..."
Chapter 3. I think I did myself a HUGE disservice in picking this up straight after Oscar Wilde...or...Austen and I just don't mix...'
Chapter 4. OH MY GOD THIS IS BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING!!!!
Chapter 5. *mic drop* i'm out.
So as you can see.... I DNF'd my first attempt at Jane Austen....
Not gonna lie, Mark Twain's infamous thoughts in regards to Ms. Austen came to mind....

However, on the advice of some lovely folks, I watched the 1940 film adaptation starring Greer Garson and Lawrence Olivier and i'm so very glad I did! I did enjoy the story and a number of the characters, however when it comes to actually READING Ms. Austen...yeah i'll side with my mate Twain on that one

The Painted Veil - W. Somerset Maugham
After that disappointment I didn't want to take a chance on anything new and therefore, to restore my faith in classics I went STRAIGHT to my BAE, Somerset Maugham!
For me, Maugham's writing is the best I have ever had the pleasure of reading. If you are fascinated by human nature, Maugham is your man. He has the BEST character descriptions I have ever read. He has the ability to not only describe his characters physically, but you can picture their mannerisms, the effect they have on those around them, the way they make others feel...
Whilst reading this novel I noticed him using such techniques as "he was the type of person who.." and
"you felt that here was a woman who.." which were just so effective at cementing the character in your mind's eye.
Maugham is also the king when it comes to planting seeds of doubt and using speculation and the power of suggestion. I found myself skimming ahead just to try and shield the inevitable blow that I felt was on the horizon. Sometimes it would hit and other times the characters surprised you by going in an entirely different direction. Utter brilliance!
I really enjoyed the character of Kitty Fane, our troubled protagonist. I found her to be a bizarre mix of Daisy Buchannon from The Great Gatsby and Scarlett O'Hara. Sounds impossible, but in the beginning she is quite flippant and airy and by the end, she has endured so much and has come into contact with such an opposing side of life that she is forced to grow up and we see an inner strength emerge that forced me to re-evaluate her and by the end I thought of her with nothing but admiration.
The blurb for this story leads you to believe that it is about a highly charged affair and the consequences that follow after the dirty secret is discovered, but wow, is it so much more than that!

Along Came A Spider - James Patterson
My Mum has been nagging me to read this for YEARS! So I gave it a whirl and whilst it was fast paced and action packed (so to speak), it did fall short of expectations. It is essentially a detective Vs. serial killer, 'cat and mouse' type chase. Very easy to read, very casual accessible language. It was definitely a page turner and for the most part I had no idea where it was going which was quite fun.
However the protagonist, Detective Alex Cross, who appears in an entire series of these novels didn't gel with me. A very limited backstory was offered, which was repeated many times throughout the book and the depth of his family relationships were only touched on here and there. So I found him to be quite one dimensional and boring. I guess with over 20 Alex Cross novels (and counting) there is plenty of time to get to know this character, however I don't think i'll be bothering.

Stephen Fry Presents Oscar Wilde's Stories for all Ages - Oscar Wilde/Stephen Fry
The fifth and final book that I finished on the very last day of July was an absolute BELTER!
With my love for Oscar Wilde ignited, I have begun a Wilde binge! This collection of Oscar's fairytales and short stories was tremendous. The structure of the fairytales we know and love courtesy of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson suit Wilde's moralistic style so so well. Some were beautifully heartwarming like "The Selfish Giant", whilst some were beautifully devastating, like "The Nightingale and the Rose". I actually had to take a break after this one because my stomach fell through the floor with sadness and I couldn't decide whether I should give in and curl up with the box of Kleenex or keep reading. Through all of Wilde's stories there seemed to be this tug-o-war between opposing sides. Between beauty and ugliness, between rich and poor, between innocence and cruelty, between the practical thing to do for one's self as opposed to the moral responsibility one owes to another. This was particularly on show in the story "The Devoted Friend" which made me feel everything from dismay to boiling red hot rage.
The only tale I didn't like was "The Fisherman and his Soul", which was just a bit out there for me. This collection highlights Wilde's superb qualities as a great writer. His wit, his warmth, his darkness, his decadence and most of all his ability to capture the strange and complex beast that is the human condition.

So cheers to a cracking July full of wonderful reads and here's to a cracking August!!! Happy reading!
xox

Create your own crocheted portrait of the sparkly Edward and his awkward Bella! Please send pics of your finished pieces to be featured on Totallee.net!
I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see em! Mail to poprocker85 [@] totallee [.] net

Create your own crocheted portrait of the sexy swashbuckler! Savvy?! Please send pics of your finished pieces to be featured on Totallee.net!
I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see em! Mail to poprocker85 [@] totallee [.] net

♥ Sir. Paul McCartney

Create your own crocheted portrait of Sir. Paul McCartney!'We're not worthy, we're not worthy!' Please send pics of your finished pieces to be featured on Totallee.net!
I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see em! Mail to poprocker85 [@] totallee [.] net

♥ Marilyn Monroe

Create your own crocheted portrait of the eternal beauty, Marilyn Monroe!!
Word of warning! This piece is a big'n!! 175 rows!! So if you are new to this form of crochet, I strongly suggest you have a go at the union jack swatch above, to get your fingers a workin'! Please send pics of your finished pieces to be featured on Totallee.net!
I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to see em! Mail to poprocker85 [@] totallee [.] net

Question mark central!!

Frequently Asked Questions!

This is the place to come to ask your burning questions !!
I get asked a LOT of questions about my work and whilst most can be answered with one sentence, I really would like to help people out as much as I can !
Before submitting a question please be sure to have a quick scroll down to see if it has been answered.
If you have a question relating to the kind of crochet I do (because quite frankly I SUCK at any other kind !), please feel free to send your questions to
poprocker85[@]totallee[.]net

How can I make my own patterns?

This is DEFINITELY the number one question I receive on a daily basis !
Due to my reasons listed in the question below, I will not go into step-by-step details of how I create my patterns however due to mounting pressure I have put together a little list of some links to some freeware found around the web that many folks have found useful in converting their pictures into patterns!WARNING Please note - I have not utilised all of these programs. Therefore I can not validate the safety in downloading or using all of these programs. This is a list I have compiled based on recommendations that others have made to me. Therefore, use AT YOUR OWN RISK!!KPG Sourceforge (the pattern generator I use )PictureCraftworkKnitPROFree Pattern WizardPic2PatStoik Stitch CreatorPM Stitch Creator 2.0 Please note - this is a short list! There are many graphing/cross-stitch/knitting generators out in the world wide web! However after trying a few on for size, you should be able to find a program that suits you down to the ground! It really is a matter of trying them out and playng around with them until you produce something you are happy with

How do you make your patterns?

I first began crocheting portraits when I discovered Todd Paschall and his incredible CBN technique in late 2008. I was gobsmacked (and continue to be) by his outstanding work and did not hesitate in paying for his services in creating patterns for a few special pictures I had until I figured out a way to generate my own patterns.
The last thing I would want to do is take business away from Todd's website CROCHET BY NUMBERS, where he has worked so hard to get CBN off the ground. Which is why I won't go into step-by-step instructions about how I convert my pictures. I figure that if folks are that desperate to figure it out, they can do it on their own like I did, then I won't feel like i'm intruding on Todd's hard work. Todd has been nothing but kind and supportive of my work, so I think it is the least I can do to support him.

Do you back your pieces?

I have made a lot of attempts at backing my pieces. I say attempts, because i'm still yet to find the perfect way, however I think it comes down to what the piece will be used for as far as choosing the right method goes.
In backing the Hogwarts Bunch Blanket, I hand-sewed black jersey (or stretchy t-shirt material) onto the back of each panel. It was tricky to keep the fabric flat, however I didn't want to add fleece or another bulky material to the back as I wanted to avoid adding weight to the final blanket. Thing thing already weighs 6000 tons

In the case of the pieces that were featured in my first public exhibition, I needed to back them onto solid boards in order to suit the needs of the hanging system in place at the cafe.
Here's cold-ridden me with a naughty labrador to try and explain how I went about it

I recently made my first commissioned pillow, which was backed differently again!

For this piece, I made the front panel, aka. the pretty 'Erika' panel, then crocheted a backing piece for it, using the same number of stitches and rows. I then hand stitched this onto the back of the pretty panel. The effect it had on the front was FANTASTIC!!!
It smoothed and stretched it out perfectly!
In the past, including the pieces featured in the exhibition, I had attatched the jersey material to the backs of the pieces before wrapping and stappling them to the mdf boards. Crocheting a back produces MUCH better results!
After attatching the crocheted back to the front, I then crocheted a third piece to be the BACK of the pillow. Attatching it on three sides, before filling with polyfill, before stitching up the final side!
I think THIS will be the way I back my pieces in the future! Whether they are intended to be hung on the wall, used as cushions, blankets, etc. if they have a crocheted back attatched to them first, you will get a flat, flawless frontage!
Naturally I would have preffered to have professionally framed most of my pieces, but having already shelled out to frame my Freddie Mercury piece ($500 Smackers!!), short of winning the lotto or putting everything I own up for sale on Ebay, including the house and possibly a kidney, I wouldn't be able to afford it! Therefore, D-I-Y Lee to the rescue!!

Can I have a copy of your patterns?

As you've proabably noticed, most of my pieces center around Musicians/Actors/Actresses/Film and Television. I am a pop culture Freak. I do not sell any patterns or pieces I have made that fit into these genre's as in most cases I do not know if the image I have used is under copywright. Any pieces I have made, I have NOT profitted from. Any patterns I have made I have NOT profitted from. Therefore any patterns I generate will not be made available to buy. However, if you take a stroll over to the Pattern Archive located on the navigation menu at the top of this page, you will find a selection of my patterns that I have popped up for free!

How many colours do you use in your pieces?

I have used as little as 4 and as many as 38 The more colours you use the more definition and detail the piece has. However it is a good idea to have a good look about at the colour range available to you in your local area before falling in love with the idea of doing a piece all in greens, only to find that there are only really 3 shades that go well together! (I have learnt this lesson the hard way people!! lol).

What yarn do you use in your pieces?!

The wonderful Kate has put forward a question I get asked quite a lot! Cheers Kate !!

QUESTION: "What brand/type of yarn do you use??"

The MOST IMPORTANT aspect of yarn choice when it comes to colourwork is the colour !
The CBN technique relies on you choosing progressive shades in the colour palette of your choice, be it greys, blues, pinks, etc... Typically a pattern will instruct which brand of yarn to use, and for those folks who find it frustrating or get a little overwhelmed when it comes to choosing colours, Todd has A LIST of blue and brown shades that work in the Red Heart range which may make life easier for you ! As for my yarn choices - they do tend to change with every piece!
After much browsing I have found a palette of greys that I am very happy with, however it does vary depending on whether i'd like the piece to have a black & white feel or a slight blue tinge running through it. It really does come down to trial and error for me!
I have never made a piece using the same brand of yarn for all colours. I always use many different kinds!
I get yarn from craft supply stores, discount stores, Kmart, Woolworths, my Mum's accumulated stash over the past 30 years, freebies from friends old stashes, etc...
Then it really is a case of mixing and matching to get the right degree of shading
The size of the ply I use also varies! For instance, in my GWTW piece, one of the lighter blues I really really wanted to use only came in 5 ply, much thinner than all the other colours that were 8 ply. So I bought 2 balls and worked two strands of the colour every time I used it, in order to balance the thickness. The important thing was that it was the RIGHT COLOUR for the job
Hence the reason as to why I cannot give brand names of the yarn I use in each pattern as it really is an eclectic ever-changing mix!
I guess the biggest barrier a lot of people have in giving work like this a go is the risky business of choosing colours and being afraid that they won't work as well as they want them too. Trust me, i've had my fair share of disasters!Exhibit A
I thought I was on a winner with my choices for a piece featuring Danny Jones from McFly I attempted a while ago...
So far so good...decided to keep going...

Yup! Loving that shine on the retro microphone! Kept going...

WAY TOO DARK!!! BIGGEST BUMMER!!! So the best advice I can give is to take your time in comparing and contrasting your shades! Sometimes projects will fail, sometimes you may have to put a project on hold until the right shade turns up in stock, sometimes you may have to change your entire palette depending on the colours you have available to you. Ply size you can work around, brands you can mix and match, but it's the colour choices that will be the difference between a good piece and one that POPS!

Aching Hands and Wrists?!?!?

The lovely Donna sent in a question!

QUESTION: " You work on so many different projects and seem to get them
out uber quick, do your hands hurt? The muscle around my thumb hurts
and I'm actually noticing rub marks from my hook on my fingers. What do you do for your
busy hands?"

Ah yes! The dreaded hand cramps ! When I first started crocheting properly at the end of 2008, I noticed that my hands started to cramp up quite quickly! I searched every forum you can imagine to get some tips on how to prevent my fingers seizing up after only half an hour of crocheting, so quickly tried them out. Some worked for me, some didn't. Some made perfect sense, others were perfectly ridiculous ! Here are some tips that help me BUCKETLOADS when it comes to hand cramps!

Take a break! Over time I have learnt to rest my fingers before going overboard. I start to get tingly sensations in my fingers and my wrists start to click, which is my flashing warning sign to give it a rest The worst thing you could do is try to push through the pain, even if you only have one row left! I was so eager to finish my AC/DC piece, I remember pushing through the clicks and cracks to knock off the last 12 rows and by god, I could hardly bend my fingers without searing pain for the next week, rendering me useless!! Pretzel-finger syndrome!!!
I now crochet in 15 minute blocks. After 15 mins, I stop, stand up, and do some basic hand exercises

Hand Exercises - after a quick search for "finger stretches, hand stretches, etc," I compiled a series of finger, hand and wrist stretches that I do in between 15 minute blocks of crocheting. First I tend to splay my fingers out, stretching them as far as they can go, before then curling them up to form a fist (repeat x 10), I then gently massage the palms of my hands, working from the middle of the palm out to the end of each finger. That usually takes about 5 mins for both hands. I then bend my wrists backwards and then forwards using my other hand like this...

Funnily enough, I don't tend to get too much pain in my crocheting hand. I actually get the most pain in the index finger of my left hand ! I tend to stick out my index finger as I hold my working yarn, which leaves it a bit stiff and sore! Which leads me to think that maybe trying a different grip on your hook may alleviate any pain your experienceing in your crocheting hand.
I've also noticed that MY NECK gets extremely stiff!! After I complete a row i'm finding that I have to do a few simple neck exercises (which make me look like a pidgeon...so attractive...)
I must get into the crocheting zone and look like a bloody statue sitting there cause my neck is completely set in stone sometimes! Very strange! So as long as you don't push yourself too hard and you take lots of little breaks, hopefully some simple exercises should help ease the pain and it'll be smooth sailing from here on in !

Press!

Making a splash!!!

The 26th day of July 2011, saw the launch of my very first exhibition! To say that I was BEYOND STOKED would be a tad of an understatement.
After months of planning, backing, staple-gunning, up's + down's, high's + low's, trialing and erroring, the 26th rocked around pretty quickly and my god WHAT A NIGHT!!!
I was lucky enough to have an opening night with close family and friends in attendance. So special and actually a bit overwhelmning to see the hours, days and months worth of your own work, created by your own hands, on display for everyone to see.

The exhibition was titled 'Off The Hook' and featured pieces such as 'Gone With the Wind', 'John Lennon', 'Elvis & Ann Margret' and 'The 2 Radcliffes'. It was warmly received and generated a lot of positive feedback which is obviously more than I could of hoped for!

Details of the exhibition were published in the 'Arts Section' of the city's newspaper and has generated a new awareness of crochet in the community and it's far-reaching possibilities!

Print!!!

Early in 2011 I awoke to a little opportunity sitting patiently in my inbox. Adrienne the deputy editor of Let's Knit UK magazine had asked if they could feature the Hogwarts Bunch Blanket in an upcoming issue!!
I preceeded to freak-the-shiz out and accepted immediately!!!
Published in a magazine!!!!! From the other side of the freaking planet!!!!! AGGHHHH!!!
As you can see I handled the whole propsal extremely professionally....
Adrienne sent along some questions and I sent her some pictures and you can imagine my surprise when I first laid eyes on issue #44.....

I scored an ENTIRE PAGE!!!
I'd like to extend another massive thank you to Adrienne and her team for this opportunity! TOO TOO AWESOME!!

World Wide Web!!!

The 22nd of August of 2011 saw the publication of my first guest blog!!Kathreen of Whip-up.net graciously asked if I would write a guest post for her site and I was stoked!
It went a little like this...

Hello Whipup.net'ers! Kathreen has graciously invited me to be a guest blogger on her fabulous site and I'm very thankful for the opportunity! Thank you Kathreen! xox

The Girl

My name is Lee and I'm a twenty-six year old textile/fibre/crochet artist born, bred and based in Canberra, Australia {find out more about me and my work on my blog}. I was about seven or eight years old when I first asked my Mum to show me how to 'do that thing with the hook'. The fascination lasted about two weeks and produced a basic knee rug that was comprised of more holes than actual crochet. The world of crochet was quickly forgotten as I moved on to tennis lessons instead. Which, come to think of it, also lasted about two weeks...
In late 2008 I remember stumbling upon the world of amigurumi (small crocheted animals/toys). I made a few little pieces before yet again my severe lack of an attention span kicked in and I found myself on the search for something new and exciting to try.

The Technique

My search came to an abrupt halt in 2008 when my jaw hit the floor and my eyes were glued to the incredible crochet portraits by Todd Paschall of Crochet by numbers. I remember the first time I clapped eyes on his smiling portrait of President Barack Obama and I was in awe.
A squillion questions sprang to mind, the biggest one being, How in the world do you DO that?! When I discovered that Todd was sharing his technique and also offered to convert any picture into an easy to follow pattern, I knew I had to give it a try.
I began by getting the basic stitches down pat. The crochet-by-numbers technique only requires you to know how to 'chain' and 'single crochet', so I began by practicing with little square swatches. Within a matter of days I was ready to have a go at the training patterns featured on Todd's site. At first these were the 'scary ones' I was a little anxious about trying as they involved the dreaded practice of colour changing! I soon discovered that it was nothing to fear and was actually quite fun!
Todd's technique does not require you to 'carry yarn' or weave in any loose ends, instead every colour change is accompanied by a cut and tie-off. Although many folks have shivered at the prospect of cutting and tying-off at every single colour change, I've found it can actually be quite relaxing! Although I do often warn those who are thinking of giving it a go, to be prepared to be patient, have a fully stocked chocolate stash beside them and one hell of a comfy chair!
As my confidence grew and I knew I was hooked (sorry, pun was begging to be used), I moved on to much larger pieces, with much more detail (aka. more colours and more colour changes!). Pretty quickly I discovered that crocheting portraits had become incredibly fun, exciting and important to me. Ideas about future pieces, possible colour palettes and the never ending string of possibilities had actually started to keep me awake at night. Visits to local yarn stores quickly became a compulsory stopping point every time I left the house. It soon became glaringly obvious that a hook and a ball of yarn offered so much more than a way to while away spare hours.

The Result

As my work will illustrate, I'm a bit of a pop culture fanatic. I have a wide interest in film, music and literature as well as the era's that go along with them. Musically speaking I am drawn to the 1950s and 60s in particular. The Monkees, The Beatles and The King to name a few!
I also have a love for the glory days of Hollywood and the actors that created true magic with their presence on the silver screen.
It is also a poorly kept secret that I am a bit of a Harry Potter fanatic. I use the term 'fanatic' there, when really the word 'MASSIVE' should go in front of it. I don't know what it is about the books and movies that continues to take hold of my hook, but I keep being drawn back to the wonderful characters and world of Hogwarts, time and time again.
This piece featuring Daniel Radcliffe as a young Harry Potter and as the young man he has become has certainly earned a spot in my top three favourite pieces to date. Not only does it have the most clarity of any piece I have done, it is the first time I was aiming for the 'sepia effect' and it was the first time I nailed it! It is also the largest piece I have tackled to date at a staggering 32,000 stitches.
I also get immense joy out of creating pieces that conjure up personal memories for loved ones. In particular, is a piece I put together for my Dad's 50th birthday. It features a picture of him as a finger-snapping two year old boy in the backyard of his childhood home in Sydney. As a life-long radio fanatic, I decided to surround him with radio paraphernalia, including a retro-styled radio, microphone and the logo of his favourite radio station throughout his adolescent years.
It remains my favourite piece to date. Not only because it's so monumentally personal, but because of the reaction it received from my Dad upon seeing it for the first time. I stood in the living room and holding it up and outstretched before calling him into the room. He stopped dead in his tracks, gasped, muttered a few choice expletives against the palm of his hand that had shot up to hide his open mouth and smiled. We then both proceeded to get a little misty eyed (balled our eyes out actually!). His reaction meant that the sixty plus hours spent on it was forgotten instantly and I knew then that I had found a truly remarkable way to express love and pay tribute to the many people, musicians, actors, films and loved ones that I have and continue to admire.
Recently the world of crochet portraiture has begun to open some really exciting doors for me too! Earlier this year, my Hogwarts Bunch Blanket was featured in 'Let's Knit UK' magazine and for the past three weeks, ten of my pieces have been adorning the walls of a local cafe/bar in my first ever exhibition!
If you have ever wanted to give crochet a go, by all means pick up a hook and get cracking! You never know where it might take you!!

(It is well worth clicking the picture at the top of this post to take you to the published blog on whip-up.net to get the flow of it all with the pictures included -_^!)

Hogwarts Bunch Blanket!

Here's the story, of a boy named Harry...!!!

It's only now as I come to write this that I realise the first time I picked up a copy of 'The Philosopher's Stone' was in 1999. It's only now that I realise that that was 13 YEARS AGO. By God. I could really use that time-turning hourglass of Hermione's right now....
Anywayz! Mid way through 2009, I decided to have a crack at making my own crochet patterns and guess who I decided to do first?!? Young Mister. Potter As far as first impressions go I was pretty chuffed! At least it looked like him and of course the bigger plus - it only used 4 colours (which therefore made it cheap as chips to make!)
At first I thought it would make a cute cushion for the lounge but then inspiration reared it's beautiful head! Why not make lonely Harry a couple of friends to accompany him on said couch?!? It wasn't until I had them all lined up on the floor that I thought 'this screams Brady Bunch...'
So taking inspiration from the opening and closing credit's of "Here's the story, of a lovely lady..", I went about choosing 9 characters for a Hogwarts Bunch Blanket!NOT AN EASY TASK!!!!!
SOO many too choose from! So many faves! But as of December 2010, I managed to whittle the selection down to 9 and complete them!

The next step was to border and back them all individually before the daunting task of Hand Sewing (blurgh. )
I bordered each one with about 4 rows of black before sewing some cheap black jersey material to the backs. I then joined the panels together with black yarn by going in and out of the holes conveniently made by the single crochet stitches. This produced a lovely flat join that can hardly be seen ! (on the right side up of course -_^!)

The blanket has received an enormous amount of love so i'd just like to send vitual hugs , kisses and high fives to EVERYONE who has followed and supported me though the making of this project via the many places i've posted my progress! Major kudos to you guys

Our New Celebrity

Earlier this year I awoke to a little opportunity sitting patiently in my inbox. Adrienne the deputy editor of Let's Knit UK magazine had asked if they could feature the Hogwarts Bunch Blanket in an upcoming issue!!
I preceeded to freak-the-shiz out and accepted immediately!!!
Published in a magazine!!!!! From the other side of the freaking planet!!!!! AGGHHHH!!!
As you can see I handled the whole propsal extremely professionally....
Adrienne sent along some questions and I sent her some pictures and you can imagine my surprise when I first laid eyes on issue #44.....

I scored an ENTIRE PAGE!!!
I'd like to extend another massive thank you to Adrienne and her team for this opportunity! TOO TOO AWESOME!!

For those wanting different characters, if you're a member of Ravelry, have a search for a raveller named 'Candice' She has a BUNCH of character graphs for free in her patterns section Please note- I do not produce patterns on request. For reasons why, please see the Frequently Asked Questions Section
If you do have a crack at a character, please feel free to send me pictures to be featured here on Totallee.net! Like the beautiful angels below!!!
poprocker [@] totallee [.] net !

Your Potter Panels!

Get ready to get your applause on whilst browsing this section!!
This section is to show off the incredible crocheting magic of those who have had a crack at the Potter Panels and have beyond succeeded !!

If you have sent me a picture of your potter panel and don't see it featured, first, please forgive me and secondly, please resend it! I'm a fully qualified scatterbrain and have clearly misplaced it! Again if you would like to have your finished piece featured, please pop a couple of images into an e-mail and send it to poprocker [@] totallee [.] net!